Transfer Student Network

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The Transfer Student Network (TSN) is a peer mentorship program designed to help first-semester transfer students feel comfortable at the U. Through one-on-one meetings and large group events, new transfer students are able to connect with other transfer students and find community at the U. These events are supported by our Transfer Insiders: transfer students who have made a successful transition to the University of Minnesota and are dedicated to enhancing the transfer student experience.

All first semester transfer students are automatically enrolled in the Transfer Student Network and will receive an e-mail each month from a Transfer Insider. An Insider will e-mail you each month during your first semester to share their own experiences, highlight campus resources, and invite you to attend a Coffee Chat! These are the one-on-one meetings mentioned above. A Coffee Chat is a great opportunity to talk with a Transfer Insider about their experiences. They can answer your questions, give advice, or point you to a campus resource. Connect with them while enjoying a free Starbucks drink - courtesy of OTE!

Want to get connected to a Transfer Insider? Feel free to e-mail transfer@umn.edu to request a Coffee Chat. You can also e-mail to request a chat with a specific Insider! Be sure to use ‘Coffee Chat Sign-Up’ as the subject line for any requests.

If you have any additional questions about TSN or would like to learn more about how to get involved after your first semester, please e-mail transfer@umn.edu.

Get to know our Transfer Insiders!

Alex Dang: Hello! I am a transfer student from North Hennepin Community College. I am majoring in Business and Marketing Education in the College of Education and Human Development. Currently, I am involved with Asian Business and Economics Student Association and the Undergraduate Advisory Board within the Office of Undergraduate Education. My piece of advice for new transfer students is to take a risk and step outside your comfort zone. You will learn new things about the University and yourself if you take advantage of the resources around you.

Aislinn Hernandez: Hello! I transferred from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD in the Fall of 2017. I am majoring in Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Deviance. I am currently involved in the Leadership Minor, and the Leaders in Transition Living Learning Community (LLC). The LLC emphasized the Leadership Minor to be a small, tight-knit community, and that's exactly what I was looking for. Thanks to those within the Minor I have found a slight push to try new activities, and I'll be doing an internship this summer in San Francisco. I hope to be more involved on campus and helping other transfer students transition but networking and making connections has made an enormous difference in my interactions on campus. A piece of advice I have is to branch out! You don't have to try something new every day or every week but try new things once in a while. You'll be surprised at how many events are regularly occurring, and if you don't like it, at least there's usually free food to make up for it! New activities allow you to experiment and establish a greater sense of what you're interested in. By far, the best part is meeting new people and making new friends.

Emily Luebke: I’m Emily and I am currently a sophomore here at the U! I am a strategic communication major in hopes of doing a design minor along with that. I transferred to the U after attending the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. This is only my second semester here, but last semester I joined a few clubs. The two clubs that I am currently involved in are Advertising Club and Verge which are both geared towards students who are interested in advertising! A piece of advice that I would give to new transfer students would be to step out of your comfort zone. Say hi to new people in your classes, go to different events that you normally wouldn’t, and just get out and into your new community as much as possible!

Linsdey Freitag: Hi everyone! I transferred to the College of Design at the U Spring of 2016, which already feels forever ago. When I was deciding which college to attend, I thought that I wanted a small, private school. You can imagine my surprise when I looked at the only other two students in my class at Morningside College and realized that it wasn’t what I wanted at all. I stuck it out for a year and a half before returning to Minnesota. In my second semester at the University of Minnesota I became involved on campus by working at the College of Design's Student Services office. This opportunity that I found on the U's Job Search website allowed me to make personal connections with academic advisers as well as the assistant dean. I also became involved in Greek life, the Graphic Design Student Association, and the Orientation and First-Year Programs office as a Transfer Student Leader. Each semester I reassess which activities I have the time and energy for and scale back as needed. Keep in mind that you can participate to the best of your ability. The University of Minnesota and its student groups want to help you succeed, even if it means taking more time to focus on balancing your life.

Matthew Bruess: Hello fellow transfers! I transferred from Iowa State University and I am currently majoring in History. Some things I have gotten involved in is the Transfer Insider program. A friend mentioned that this would be a great opportunity for me. I am also a member of Tau Sigma, a National Honors Society for Transfer Students, because I achieved a 3.5 In my first semester at the U. I am also working for Facilities Management. I heard about the job board from my advisor so I checked it out and found an awesome job I have been working at for a year. A piece of advice I have is do not be afraid to reach out for any and all opportunities that may come your way here at the University. It's a great way to get involved and not enough students realize that putting themselves out there is a key way to find opportunities, whatever they may be.

Diah Swenson: Hello! I transferred from Normandale Community College. Here at the U of M, I am doing a Bachelor's of Individualized Studies with concentrations in Health Psychology, Public Health, Health and Wellness Promotion and a minor in Communication Studies Starting in my first semester at the U of M, I worked at the Recreation and Wellness Center. This semester I am not currently involved in much on campus. I visit the RecWell several times a week and I attend their PAWS (Pet Away Worry & Stress) event every Monday where you are able to meet and pet dogs. I am currently looking at working and volunteering on campus this summer to add to my resume. Advice I have is to get involved. Utilize your resources. Get to know your teachers. Take chances. Step outside of your comfort zone. Have fun.

Lebene Geoffrey: I am a transfer student from Minneapolis Community & Technical College. I am a Nutrition major in the College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences. I got involved in the Transfer Initiative Program right away. This is how I learned about the Transfer Insider opportunity. I am also involved in SAFCH (Student Ambassador for Food, Culture and Health), where I am one of the officers. I first heard of this opportunity through email, then I reached out to the program coordinator to express my interest. My first piece of advice, is to get involved because this will open door of possibility for you. I would also say to participate in transfer programs, get to know transfer insiders, and schedule a coffee chat because doing these will help you connect to the University community.

Kasie Falkenberg: I am a transfer student from John Tyler Community College in Richmond, VA and I transferred in the Fall 2016. I am majoring in Global Studies with minors in Public Health and Leadership Currently, I work with the Leadership Minor as an intern and event coordinator, I also work for the Gopher Chauffeur, and I am a section leader for CLA 3001 Transfer Semester Experience. Further, I am a member of the Undergraduate Public Health Association, and served as a Public Health Ambassador in Fall 2016. I got involved with these activities through the Leaders in Transition Living Learning Community and taking the first Leadership Minor class (LEAD 1961W), being a Health Advocate for my dorm last year, and going to the clubs mentioned in lectures that interested me. Advice I have for you is to find out what opportunities are available that revolve around things you are passionate about! I have found that finding a community of like-minded people made me feel welcome and gave me a sense of belonging. Reach out to other students in class, professors, and advisers to ask about what opportunities are out there!

Fadumo Salah: I transferred to the U from Century College and I am majoring in English here. My schedule is pretty hectic this month and due to that I wasn't able to be involved with as many things as I wanted to. However, after taking a Transfer Experience course last semester, my section leader let me know of this opportunity to be a Transfer Insider so I decided to apply. Through being a Transfer Insider, I get to connect with many transfer students who are going through the same things I did when I first transferred here. The Transfer Student Network contributed largely to me adjusting here and I hope that I can do that for others as well Some advice I have for transfer students is to be more open to new opportunities and try to get out of your comfort zone once in a while. You never know where it could lead you.